Microchip for famous cheese: "Those who eat it shouldn't worry"

Counterfeiting typically involves money, luxury brands, or electronics. However, it has also spread to the food industry.

Moreover, this time the target is Italy 's world-famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

While counterfeiting a 40-pound wheel of cheese isn't easy, it's quite profitable: The Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium estimates the fake parmesan market is worth about $2 billion annually.

Authorities found a solution by placing microchips in cheese.

FIGHTING FRAUD

While trademark registration is the first line of defense against counterfeiting, food manufacturers are now turning to more advanced technologies. Holograms, RFID tags, and QR codes are used in many industries. However, the situation is slightly different in cheese and food, as digestible technology is required.

To address this issue, Parmigiano Reggiano producers are embedding an edible microchip in the cheese's casein label.

The European Union takes this cheese so seriously for good reason. Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the most strictly protected products under geographical indication. It can only be produced in five regions of Italy: Parma, Modena, Bologna, Mantova, and Reggio Emilia.

The production process is subject to strict regulations. For example, cheese can be made with just three ingredients; milk must come only from local cows, and these cows are fed only locally grown forage.

The Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium oversees the entire process.

ID CARD THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SAND

This meticulous production process makes Parmigiano Reggiano far more valuable than ordinary Parmesan. In the US, a pound of Parmigiano Reggiano can cost over $100.

But when even branded wheels aren't enough to stop counterfeiters, manufacturers have resorted to technology. Now, silicon microchips called p-Chips, manufactured in the USA, are embedded in the labels of each wheel.

These microchips are as small as a grain of sand and each contains a unique serial number, allowing buyers to easily verify that the cheese they purchase is truly authentic. The microchips have been tested to withstand the ripening process and are said to be fully digestible.

"If one of these chips ends up in your stomach with your pasta, don't worry," says the p-Chip company.

“These chips cannot be read from a distance, they are completely harmless.”